Benefits
Te mana o te wai
Restore the environment and health of the Tukituki catchment and embedding the principles of Te Mana o te Wai across all activities.
1
Improved environmental flows
Increase minimal environmental flows in the rivers to improve river health during dry periods.
2
Water for the community
Provide water security to fast-growing communities and urban townships.
3
Reliable irrigation
Provide more and reliable irrigation to the fertile plains of Central Hawke’s Bay to support improving productivity with the trend and opportunity for higher value and more environmentally sustainable land uses.
4
Building resilience
Build regional environmental and economic resilience in the face of climate change, given that an increasing atmospheric dew point will increase storms and droughts.
5
Higher-value economic outcomes
Secure the opportunity for higher-value food production and processing, creating jobs and exports that will improve prosperity for the wider Hawke’s Bay region.
6
Increased regional GDP long-term
Operating the TWSP will Increase regional GDP. 2026 NZIER modelling forecasts an increase to regional GDP by an additional net present value of $1B to $5B and 235-1,820 jobs (depending on land use change), which includes an increase in annual regional GDP of up to $693M pa, household expenditure of up to $452M pa and government revenue of up $195M pa.
7
Job creation for the region
Construction of the TWSP will create significant economic activity in Hawke’s Bay, with an estimated 220-330 jobs. Once operational, the project is expected to generate 235-1,820 jobs depending on land use change.
8
Confirming the views of numerous previous reports, in 2021, independent advisory firm Lewis Tucker & Co’s re-scoping report concluded that a dam for water storage at the Makaroro River site remains the best option and a viable proposition to address water security for the region.
Benefits at-a-glance
NZIER 2026 economic forecasts
New NZIER modelling from 2026 forecasts that the project will provide a significant increase to regional GDP by an additional net present value of $1B-$5B and 235-1,820 jobs (depending on land use change), which includes an increase in annual regional GDP of up to $693M per annum, household expenditure of up to $452M per annum and government revenue of up $195M per annum.
The construction phase alone is expected to generate 220-330 jobs and substantial economic activity across the region. During construction, GDP is expected to increase by between $166M to $346M and household spending is expected to increase by $177M.
